Neurofeedback rehabilitation system

Abstract

A plurality of sensors detect neural activity and/or muscle activity of a person. A display renders an image with an avatar that represents the person. A processor moves a portion of the avatar in response to calculations performed on signals corresponding to the neural activity and the muscle activity. The avatar may be caused to move in a manner corresponding to an expected muscle movement of the person. However, due to illness or disease, the person may be unable to fully execute the expected muscle movement. By watching the avatar move in response to efforts to execute an expected muscle movement, the person may train his or her body to more fully execute desired muscle movements, such as through neurofeedback for rehabilitation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A neurofeedback rehabilitation system, comprising:
 a plurality of sensors configured to detect at least one of neural activity of a brain of a patient and/or electrical activity of a muscle of the patient at different locations;   a display configured to render an image of a portion of an avatar that is representative of a patient; and   a processor coupled to the plurality of sensors and the display and configured to:
 determine a movement of the portion of the avatar based on a coherence between the neural activity and the electrical activity of the patient at the different locations, and 
 render, on the display, the movement of the portion of the avatar to provide biofeedback to the patient. 
   
     
     
         2 . The neurofeedback rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a virtual reality, augmented reality, or mixed reality headset or other digital display configured to be placed over a head of the patient or in front of the patient and that includes the display.   
     
     
         3 . The neurofeedback rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine at least one of a ratio of the neural activity at the different locations and a ratio of the muscular activity at the different locations; and   determine the movement of the portion of the avatar further based on the at least one of the ratio of the neural activity and the ratio of the muscular activity, as well as the neuromuscular coherence, at the different locations.   
     
     
         4 . The neurofeedback rehabilitation system of  claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine a change in the ratio of the neural activity at the different locations or a change in the ratio of the muscular activity at the different locations; and   determine a change in the movement of the portion of the avatar based on the change in the ratio of the neural activity or the change in the ratio of the muscular activity.   
     
     
         5 . The neurofeedback rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors include electroencephalography (EEG) sensors that are positioned at various locations on the head, wherein the EEG sensors are configured to detect the neural activity of the brain that corresponds to a movement or likely control of movement of a hand, an arm or a leg of the patient. 
     
     
         6 . The neurofeedback rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sleeve including one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more electromyography (EMG) sensors that are placed or fitted on the sleeve, wherein the one or more sensors are one or more flexible fabric electrodes or one or more disposable gel electrodes with snaps.   
     
     
         7 . The neurofeedback rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a communication interface configured to couple with a remote computing device that allows a provider to communicate with and monitor the patient, wherein monitoring the patient includes monitoring the detected neural activity of the brain of the patient or the detected muscular activity.   
     
     
         8 . The neurofeedback rehabilitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the movement of the portion of the avatar is further based on one or more settings that are configurable by input received from a remote device that is operated by a provider, or by user input received via a user interface, or that is adjusted based on previously-detected neural activity or previously-detected muscular activity. 
     
     
         9 . A portable, modular neurofeedback rehabilitation system, comprising:
 a remote device configured to allow a provider to monitor or communicate with a patient;   a plurality of sensors configured to detect neural activity of a brain of a patient or electrical activity of a muscle of the patient at different locations;   a display configured to render an image of a portion of an avatar that is representative of a patient; and   a processor coupled to the plurality of sensors and the display and configured to:
 determine a movement of the portion of the avatar based on a coherence of the neural activity of the brain and the electrical activity of the muscle of the patient, and 
 render, on the display, the movement of the portion of the avatar to provide biofeedback to the patient that results in an improvement of a condition of the patient or triggers a response by the patient. 
   
     
     
         10 . The portable, modular neurofeedback rehabilitation system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the movement of the portion of the avatar further based on one or more settings or thresholds that are personalized to the patient, wherein the remote device is configured to provide or adjust the one or more settings or thresholds that are personalized to the patient and the processor is configured to receive the one or more settings or thresholds, wherein the one or more settings or thresholds are adjusted over time to facilitate the improvement of the condition of the patient by requiring a stronger response or an increased amount of neural activity or electrical activity by the patient. 
     
     
         11 . The portable, modular neurofeedback rehabilitation system of  claim 9 , further comprising one or more hand controllers configured to provide vibrotactile feedback to the patient in response to the virtual environment surrounding the avatar in the image and the detected neural activity and the detected muscular activity. 
     
     
         12 . The portable, modular neurofeedback rehabilitation system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one of an electroencephalography (EEG) sensor that is positioned at a location on a head of the patient, an electromyography sensor (EMG) sensor that is positioned at a location on a body part of the patient or a camera that tracks movement of an arm, a leg, a hand or other body part of the patient, wherein the EEG sensor(s) is configured to detect the neural activity of the brain that corresponds to a movement or likely control of movement of the arm, the leg, the hand or the other body part of the patient and the EMG sensor measures the electrical activity of the muscle of the body part of the patient. 
     
     
         13 . The portable, modular neurofeedback rehabilitation system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the movement of the portion of the avatar further based on an amplitude or magnitude of the neural activity or an amplitude or magnitude of the electrical activity generated by the muscle. 
     
     
         14 . A method for providing biofeedback to a patient, comprising:
 detecting, by a processor and using a plurality of sensors, neural activity of a brain of a patient and electrical activity of a muscle of the patient;   determining, by the processor, a movement of a portion of an avatar based on a coherence or relationship between the neural activity of the brain of the patient and the electrical activity of the muscle of the patient; and   rendering, by the processor and on a display, the movement of the portion of the avatar to provide biofeedback to the patient.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining, by the processor, the coherence or the relationship between the neural activity of the brain of the patient and the electrical activity of the muscle of the patient.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining, by the processor and using a patient training model, one or more settings or thresholds that represent an expected level of coherence between the neural activity and the muscular activity or an expected level of neural activity and muscular activity to generate the movement of the portion of the avatar.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein determining, by the processor, the movement of the portion of the avatar is further based on the one or more settings or thresholds. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 obtaining, by the processor, patient data representative of a population of patients that require physical or occupational therapy after a condition including a cardiovascular stroke, wherein the patient data includes a level of coherence of neural activity of brains of the patients and electrical activity of muscles of the patients and corresponding settings or thresholds for movement of the portion of the avatar that induced improvement in movement of the patient; and   generating, by the processor, the patient training model using a machine learning algorithm based on the obtained patient data.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining, by a processor, a ratio of the neural activity at the different locations and a ratio of the muscular activity at the different locations;   wherein determining the movement of the portion of the avatar is further based on the ratio of the neural activity and the ratio of the muscular activity at the different locations.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 communicating, by the processor, with a remote computing device to monitor the patient via the remote computing device, wherein monitoring the patient includes monitoring the detected neural activity of the brain of the patient or the detected muscular activity.